Shark Waters
by FoRbIdDiN.fRuIt
Summary: "And she realized she couldn't leave. She couldn't leave him." Drabble series based on the song Shark Water by Projected Twin. Each chapter is based off a line in the song. Posted in the ASOIAF section under the name without an 's'
1. I've Been Awhile Here

I've Been a While Here

He remembered it like it was yesterday. He remembered searching and searching and yelling his voice hoarse. Gendry Waters remembers the day she disappeared. He remembers the last words they stop to each other and he remembers her smalls smile.

It's been 6 years and he remembers everything about Arya Stark. He misses her stubbornness and infuriating comments. He misses their stupid arguments and her insults.

He works at a small forge in a small village in the North. He had traveled there looking for her; it had been 3 years when he arrived in the village. He'd been there before; familiar faces greeted him with a warm and welcoming smile. It wasn't long before he started working in that small forge at the village. He had a steady life. But it didn't change the ache he felt whenever he thought of the small grey eyed girl.

But even after 6 years, he still hopes she is out there.

xxx

6 years. 6 long hard years and she was going back home. Back to Winterfell. Back to the remaining family she had.

But he still plagued her mind, the boy with the dark hair and blue eyes, the stupid bullheaded boy. She knew she would probably never see him again. With her luck, he probably was killed. But that didn't stop him from invading her thoughts.

So when she stopped in a village a days ride from Winterfell to stay at an inn and get her sword fixed, to say she was shocked when she walked in the small forge was an understatement.

He was taller than he had been all those years ago; his hair was still black as night and she was sure his eyes were the same blue. The steel still sung the same song. His name almost came toppling from her lips and she almost ran to embrace him. But she also almost ran away. He couldn't be here, not now. Not after all this traveling, not after all these years. How was he so close to her home?

She thought before she spoke, he won't recognize me. She decided she was going to leave this town after fixing Needle. It didn't cross her mind he would know the sword when she cleared her throat to get his attention. It didn't cross her mind until it was too late.

xxx

It had been an unproductive day when she walked into the forge. No one had come there all day, he hammered away a sword he thought no one would use.

He didn't notice when she walked in the door. When he heard the faint clearing of someone's throat he looked up. A small woman stood in the entrance of the forge.

"I'm sorry Miss." He said walking towards her. "What can I do for you?" She's small, he thought, what would she need with a smith?

"I've got a crack in my sword and I was wondering if you could mend it." She spoke calmly. When she unsheathed the sword and handed it to him his eyes widened. Needle.

"Where did you get that?" his tone was angry.

"It is min-" the woman started.

"No, I assure you Miss it is not." He glared at the woman, not meeting her eyes.

"I swear to you-"

"Did you pry it from her dead hands? Or was she still-" hands rested on his cheeks as the woman looked into his eyes.

Her resolve broke, she couldn't watch the anger and pain anymore. She moved her hands to his cheeks and spoke.

"_Gendry_."

He stopped talking and his eyes met hers. Grey. The last time he had seen those eyes they flashed in pure anger at him.

"Arya?"

"Of course it is you stupid bull." A smiled played at her lips. "Do you really think I would let someone take Needle from me?"

Gendry pulled her to his chest, silencing her.

"I thought you were dead." He whispered into her hair. His voice was full of emotion. She wrapped her arms around his back and basked in his warmth.

"I'm not." She spoke softly. He pulled her tighter against him.

"Where have you been?" His voice cracked with pent emotions.

"Everywhere. Where have you been?" She gripped her hands in the back of his shirt.

"I've been here for awhile. Hoping you might show up. We're so close to Winterfell and I thought, if anything you would come through here."

They stayed like that for awhile. They didn't speak, the cherished each other's comfort and the feeling of their embrace.

And she realized she couldn't leave. She couldn't be away from him. And if that meant not seeing her family for months, then she didn't care. He had been there for awhile, exactly where she need him.

* * *

An: Hello! Please before you review I would to state this: I HAVE NO YET READ THE BOOKS. So if anything is written weird or not the same tone as the books please don't freak out on me. I'm getting the books soon and will probably hate this then. Sooo yeah! Also if you would like to find me on tumblr my user name is theslytherindoctor!


	2. You've Stopped Listening

You've Stopped Listening

Arya was with him in the village for a month before he really noticed it.

She was always in the forge with him. She almost never left his side. She had taken to sleeping in his bed with him, her small frame curled into his side. She rarely spoke to anyone besides himself. It was an understatement to say he was worried at first.

For the first week she barely even spoke to him. It seemed like all he did was talk while they were in the forge. He told her everything. Every adventure and every tragedy. She would nod and make a comment when needed.

During the second week she started to ask questions. She asked about Hot Pie, where he was and what he was doing. She even smiled a little when Gendry told her he was cooking for a small inn not far from where they were. He didn't really talk about the first three years she had been gone and she didn't ask. She considered it was like him asking her about her travels.

By the third week, she told small stories of Braavos. Of the large cities she stayed at. She told him about the Faceless Men and her training. Never did she speak of the men she killed. And he didn't ask. He smiled at all of her stories, happy she was finally talking. The fourth week was much of the same as the third, stories were shared and smiles were exchanged.

Gendry noticed during the fifth week. He noticed that she stopped listening to them. He noticed it didn't affect her anymore. He was thankful for that. He was thankful she was finally becoming herself and not listening to it anymore


	3. I'm Not Moving Anymore

I'm Not Moving Anymore

She was scared he was going leave her. It was silly of her to think that, considering she was where he lived. But that didn't stop the nagging in her brain. It didn't stop that gut wrenching fear that one day; she would wake up and find the other side of the bed cold and empty.

He knew she was scared. It was hard not to tell. The way she practically clung to him, how her eyes would shine with panic when she searched the room for him. It was odd, he though, to see that sort of vulnerability in her. He had told her he wasn't leaving, but she shook her head, saying "that's what everyone says."

But one night, when someone ransacked the inn and Arya woke to an empty bed, she stopped worrying.

When she woke, she nearly screamed. It was still dark out when she bolted from the bed and out the door. She had to find him. She had to see where he had gone. She didn't bother listening to the raised voices down the stairs into the entry of the inn. When she stumbled into the room where Gendry stood with the innkeeper, she hadn't noticed the tears falling from her eyes.

The two in the room stopped their arguing and Arya noticed the state of the room. Tables were toppled over and there was a man passed out (or dead) on the floor. When she heard someone say her name her eyes shot up. Gendry was standing in front of her, her eyes still shown with panic as tears streamed from her eyes.

"What are you doing down here? You should be asleep." His voice was caring; he hadn't noticed her tears in the dark room. A new set of tears started from her Arya's eyes.

"I woke up and you were gone." She spoke quickly and he noticed the tears steadily streaming down her cheeks and the panic in her eyes. "I thought you had-" Gendry pulled her to his chest, silencing her in midsentence. She wrapped her arms around him and clung to his worn tunic.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you this, _I am not going anywhere._" He spoke slowly to get his point across. Her hands clenched tighter into his tunic.

"Neither am I."


	4. Because I Know Better Than That

Because I Know Better Than That

She was encased in his strong arms, tears still falling at a slow pace. She heard him say something to the innkeeper before carrying her to their room. He kept her in his arms as he sat on their bed, sighing and running a hand through her hair.

"You need to calm down," he said quietly. She shook her head, still in an unneeded panic.

He pulled her tight against him and wrapped the blanket from the bed around her. He rubbed her back as her tears slowed. He knew what they had to do. He was reluctant to speak about the plan he had made. It had been days he since he had decided, but he knew they had to leave. They had to travel to Winterfell. She didn't belong here.

After some time she calmed down, the sun had begun to shine over the horizon. He decided since neither would sleep anymore he would voice his plan to her.

"I think we should leave for Winterfell." He said. She grew stiff in his embrace.

"Why?"

"You don't belong here Arya. You belong there, in Winterfell, with your brothers and sister. Not in this small village just out a days ride from your home." She didn't say anything for awhile.

"Why would you leave your life here for me?" She didn't fall deaf to the use of the word 'we'. It was his turn to still. He thought long before he answered, choosing his words carefully.

"I would think you would know why by now." She shook her head against his chest. He sighed and closed his eyes tightly, as if in pain.

He rested his index finger under her chin before titling it so she was looking into his eyes. When his lips met her for a soft and slow kiss it was like the world had stopped moving. The kiss wasn't long by any means, but all of the emotions behind the kiss where now known.

"I can no longer be anywhere you aren't. For I care for you more than I have anyone. I know better than to keep you from your family." His voice was calm as his eyes bore into hers, love shinning brightly.

She rested her hand on his cheek before pulling his lips to hers once more. There was passion in this kiss, all of the years of waiting for a moment like this crashing down on the two. When she pulled away they were both out of breath. She tucked her head under his chin after her heart beat had slowed and her breath came out evenly.

"When shall we leave?"


End file.
